Pang Valley Flood Forum

Working collaboratively to reduce flood risk throughout the communities in the Pang Valley

Introduction

The Pang Valley Flood Forum was set up in January 2013 as a joint initiative by West Berkshire Council, the Environment Agency and Thames Water. The aim of the Forum is to act as the principal consultation body to the three agencies on flooding and drainage issues in the Pang Valley.

We work with the agencies to oversee and monitor the delivery of flood risk mitigation works (Actions) within our Flood Risk Management Plan. Everyone who may be affected by or has a role to play in the management of flooding has the opportunity to influence or contribute to the development of new Actions.

The Forum is run entirely by volunteers from the 10 Parishes in the Pang Valley, with representatives from the three agencies attending our quarterly meetings. We are also involved in raising general awareness of local flooding issues and in improving individual resilience. We share knowledge between parishes to the benefit of all. We have a Chair and Vice Chair plus a minute taker. The rest of the committee is made up of members (Parish Council Chairs or Flood Wardens or both) from each Parish.

Our Forum helps both individual homeowners as well as Parish Councils to achieve improvements in flood resilience. We keep the agencies focused on the tasks required and hold them to account when things go wrong. Flooding will happen more often and more substantially in the future, and it is vital that voluntary groups like ours, where local knowledge can make all the difference, are encouraged to thrive and succeed.

Aims and Objectives

Aims: To mitigate and reduce the risk of flooding of properties and the impact of flooding on the communities along the River Pang and its tributaries from its source until it enters the Thames at Pangbourne.

Objectives:

To develop and monitor the delivery of a Flood Risk Management Action Plan (FRMAP) for the Community, adding more actions as appropriate.

To assist in the progress and improvement of the FRMAP by adding further appropriate, affordable solutions to manage flood risk and support the environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

To raise general awareness of local flooding risks before, during and after any event within the communities.

To communicate with members of the communities regarding the work of the Flood Forum and flood risk management agencies via Parish Newsletters, community meetings, social media etc.

To create opportunities for all groups, organisations and individuals to share their knowledge and experiences of local flooding with the relevant flood risk management agencies.

To review the flood risk management authorities' policies and make recommendations for change if appropriate.

Communities

The following parishes are involved:

West Ilsley

East Ilsley

Compton

Hampstead Norreys

Frilsham

Bucklebury

Stanford Dingley

Bradfield

Tidmarsh with Sulham

Pangbourne

Meetings are held quarterly, or more frequently if deemed necessary, in various locations around the communities listed above.

Future PVFF Meetings

Contact us to get involved

If you would like to get involved, please email us. We can introduce you to your local flood warden or you might want to come to a meeting to share your great ideas.